Probably old news by now, just wanted to let everyone know the rotation has finally been set.

SaintLouisPostDispatch wrote:Williams will start Game 1By Derrick GooldOf the Post-Dispatch10/03/2004

Ending the speculation that passed for drama after the Cardinals clinched the NL Central Division, manager Tony La Russa confirmed his first-round pitching rotation Saturday. With Matt Morris' on-again, off-again struggles and the health of the Cardinals stalwart's shoulder in mind, La Russa dubbed Williams the Game 1 starter.

Morris will start Game 3, the first game on the road in the series. As expected, Jason Marquis, who lost Saturday's game, is set for Game 2 at home, and Jeff Suppan will start Game 4, if necessary. Should the series need a Game 5, Williams would start it.

"Woody is feeling better than he has all year long, so he could pitch two games with more certainty," La Russa said. He later added: "Matt can get (physically) cranky and this is a bad time to be cranky. There's more physical certainty with Woody.

This forum's been a lil quiet, maybe that's why the Cards have struggled. OK, I'm a little superstitious, so what?

I don't know about you guys but I would have made Marquis the number 1 so that I could put him out there as often as possible.

I would also see how Morris does in game 3 and if he is good, I would put Suppan in the pen and go with a three man rotation until Carpenter comes back for the second round. Suppan really faded down the stretch.

I wouldn't worry about Woody - he stepped it up at the end of the year (except for that one game against Houston).

Mookie4ever wrote:I don't know about you guys but I would have made Marquis the number 1 so that I could put him out there as often as possible.

I would also see how Morris does in game 3 and if he is good, I would put Suppan in the pen and go with a three man rotation until Carpenter comes back for the second round. Suppan really faded down the stretch.

I wouldn't worry about Woody - he stepped it up at the end of the year (except for that one game against Houston).

I agree with everything you said there, but like Pogo said, LaRussa doesn't want the pressure on Marquis. Letting him go game two will help hopefully since it's at home, and the Cards will be up 1-0. Woody has been indeed solid down the stretch, so no worries there for me.